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We did not see anything more of the suspicious craft that day; so we all believed that our feint of overhauling them had effectually scared them away, Tom Jerrold and I especially being impressed with this idea, attaching a good deal of importance to the talk we had overheard between Rooney and Adams, Tom being in his bunk close by the boatswain's cabin at the time when I was outside listening to the two old tars as they confabbed together.
When Rooney awoke next morning, his ears told him that the rushing of ice-cold rivulets through ice-valleys, and the roar of ice-born cataracts had increased considerably during the hours of darkness. The warmth which caused this did not, indeed, at first strike him, for the air of the cavern and the character of his bed had chilled him so much that he was shivering with cold.
"Why, then, did you go to sea, Mr Rooney," I asked, putting him into a quandary with this home-thrust; "that is, if it is such a bad place as you make out?" "Bedad, sorry o' me knows!" he replied, shoving his battered cheese- cutter cap further off his brows and scratching his head reflectively. "Sure, an' it's bin a poozzle to me, sorr, iver since I furst wint afore the mast."
It is to be hoped also that I have freed you from superstition." "But where is the bear-angekok?" asked the bewildered youth. "I am the bear-angekok." "Impossible!" cried Ippegoo. To this Rooney replied by going back to his bear-skin, spreading it over himself, getting on a stool so as to tower upwards, spreading out his long arms, and saying in his deepest bass tones
But come, I will try to cure you," said Rooney, who, under the impression that violent physical exertion coupled with distraction of mind would produce good effect, had suddenly conceived a simple ruse. "Do you see yon jutting ice-cliff that runs down to a point near the edge of the berg?" "Yes, I see," whimpered Ippegoo.
"Tell me, Kablunet," he began; but Rooney interrupted him. "Don't call me Kablunet. Call me Red Rooney. It will be more friendly-like, and will remind me of my poor shipmates." "Then tell me, Ridroonee," said Angut, "is it true what I have heard, that your countrymen can make marks on flat white stuff, like the thin skin of the duck, which will tell men far away what they are thinking about?"
"But, Angut," said Rooney, growing somewhat weary at last, "you've asked me many questions; will you answer a few now?" "I will answer." "I have heard it said," began the sailor, "that Angut is a wise man an angekok among his people, but that he denies the fact. Why does he deny it?"
"It is sent down by means of an air-pump," said Edgar, who took on himself the duty of explaining. "Dear me!" returned Miss Pritty, elevating her eyebrows in surprise; "I always thought that pumps were used only for pumping up water." "Och! No, Miss," said Rooney, "they're largely used for pumping up beer in London." "Now, David, are you all right?" asked Joe.
Rooney was quick-witted, and had great power of self-command. He reclosed the eyes at once, and then, through the merest chink between the lids, continued to watch the scene. But the wink had been observed. It caused an abrupt stoppage of the pantomime, and an intense glare of expectancy. This was too much for Rooney.
"Your mother-in-law, jewel!" cried the Widow Rooney, making another open-armed rush at her beloved daughter-in-law; but Matty received the widow's protruding mouth on her clenched fist instead of her lips, and the old woman's nose coming in for a share of Matty's knuckles, a ruby stream spurted forth, while all the colours of the rainbow danced before Mrs.
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